Filler plate for journal boxes



June 9, 1959 K. A. KLINGLER FILLER PLATE FOR JOURNAL BOXES OriginalFiled May 14, 195:5

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 9, 1959 K. A. KLINGLER 2,890,084

' FILLER PLATE FOR JOURNAL BOXES Original Filed May 14, 1953 4Sheets+Sheet 2 INVENTOR. j'farZ fifZz'ny/ei" BY June 9, 1959 K; A.KLINGLER 2,890,084

FILLER PLATE FORJOURNALV. BOXES Original Filed May 14, 1953 4Sheets-Sheet s M [fl/1 11 5y .ParivrX Jzzarneys June 9, 1959 K. A.KLINGLER 2,890,084

FILLER PLATE FOR JOURNAL BOXES Original Filed May 14, 1953 4Sheets-Sheet 4 JzarZ ./7. 17/271 yier United States Patent FILLER PLATEFOR JOURNAL BOXES Karl A. Klingler, Naperville, 11].

Original application May 14, 1953, Serial No. 354,976, now Patent No.2,768,012, dated October 23, 1956. Divided and this application *August6, 1956, Serial No. 602,129

1 Claim. (Cl. SOS-80) My invent-ion relates to improvements in gasketsor packing rings associated with a railroad car axle and the inboard endof the journal box and has for one object to provide a gasket which willat the same time prevent entrance of dust, dirt, water or other foreignmatter into, and will at the same time prevent loss of grease and oilfrom the box.

The present invention is especially directed toward protecting thegasket against damage which might result from contact with or to tooclose an approach to the body of the journal box by the axle or thejournal.

This is adivision of my co-pending application Serial No. 354,976, filedMay 14, 1953, now Patent No. 2,768,012.

Other objects of the invention will appear from time to time in thespecification and claim.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical section through aportion of the journal box taken in a plane which includes the axis ofrotation of the'jo urnal;

2,890,084 Patented June 9, 1959 flanges 9 and the journal box body. Thisgroove or aperture is opened across the top of the box as at 9a and isstandard with all usual journal boxes.

In the form shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, I provide an annularrubber or rubber-like or elastomeric packing ring 10, exteriorly groovedat 11 to engage the flange 9 at bottom and sides and the shorter flange12 at the top. This ring has a relatively thick portion 13 extendinginwardly about its entire periphery into the I the gasket 10 outwardlyagainst the flanges 9, 12 but may collapse centripetally to permit thegasket 10 to be inserted through the aperture defined by the flanges 9,12. The position of the ring is such that the face of the ring,namelythat part of it to the left as shown in Figures 1 and 2, isperpendicular to the axis of an axle passing through an aperture in thering.

Extending inwardly from this ring or gasket 10 is a flexible element orweb 12, 16, which flexible element carries the inclined journal engagingmember or lip 17. In order to fit the standard contour of the apertureon the inboard side of the journal box, the web as at 15 is in partgenerally parallel with the axis of rotation of the Figure 2 is ahorizontal section at right angles to Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section along the line similar to the section of Figure 1of a slightly diflerent form of the device;

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 4 with parts omitted,illustrating the packing ring before being applied upon an axle; 1

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

in Figures- 4,:5-and 6;-

Figure 8 is a section on an enlarged scale taken along the line 88 ofFigure 7;

Figure 9 is a detail section of a modified form of packing ring.

Like parts are indicated by like characters in the specification anddrawings.

It will be understood my invention is applicable to the usual type ofrailroad car axle journal box which includes a box, a brass adapted toride on the axle journal, and a wedge adapted to hold the brass inposition with respect to the box so that the load of the car is carriedon the axle. My invention is intended to provide a packing means toencircle the axle or journal on the inboard end to close the journal boxagainst the entry of foreign matter and against the escape of lubricant.

1 indicates the top, 2 the lower portion and 3 the side walls of thejournal box. The front wall and its trap door, forming no part of thepresent invention, are not here illustrated. 4 is an apertured back wallof the journal box, apertured to permit entrance of the wheel axle 5,the reduced or journal portion of the axle 6 being enclosed within thebox. 7 is the brass, riding on the journal 6. 7a is the wedge or key,thrust between the brass 7 and the top of the box 1 to carry the load.

8 is a groove or channel defined by the wall 4, the

Figure 7 is a side-illustration of the packing ring shown;

journal and as at 16 generally perpendicular thereto. The effectivewidth, however of the web 15, 16 between the ring 10 and the axlecontacting member or lip 17 be ing substantially the same so that therelationship between the member 17 and the axle is substantially thesame throughout.

18 is a metallic filler plate socketed within the channel or groove 8and backing up the packing ring 10. This plate on both vertical sides isof increased thickness as at 19, to completely fill the groove 8, butwhere it is in register with the rubber packing ring 10, it is reducedin thickness, as indicated in Figure 2 to leave space for the packingring. A handle 20 may be provided 'for easy withdrawal of the member- 18when the axle and journal have beenwithdrawn from the box. The plate 18is apertured, as at 21, the aperture being oval and greater in verticaldiameter than in horizontal diameter, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2,the horizontal dimension of the aperture 21 being such as to limitlateral movement of the journal with respect to the journal box, theimportance of which limitation will later appear.

The device shown in Figures 4 to 6 inclusive is similar to the deviceabove described, the basic diflference be tween the two devices beingthat in Figures 1 to 3, the elastomeric gasket is mounted on the flanges9 and 12, whereas in Figures 4 to 6 the elastomeric gasket is mounted onthe outer end 4 of the journal box.

25 is the elastomeric gasket mounted on the outboard end wall 4 of thejournal box. A reinforcing member 26 may be cast in the gasket, or inletinto the gasket through a groove 27, as the case may be. Suffice it tosay that this reinforcing member generally uncompressible, is loin'g'asnug fit and holding the gasket in close, tight relationship with theapertured journal box end wall.

Extending inwardly from the ring or gasket 25 is a radial web 30 whichterminates in a sleeve 31 engaging the axle in; two spaced annular areasas indicated at 32, 33. The annular cle'a'u'a-inze' 34hetwe'en areas 3233' may be filled with greaseor other suitable dustinhibitor. The areas.32,- 33; both engagingthe axle, insuretl'iat oil will not escape fromand foreign matter will not enter the journalbo'x.

35 is a'filler plate similar to the plate 18 except that it does notcompletely encircle the axle a's' doesthe filler plate 18 backing up thering 25', but because in this case the axle'enga'gin'g portion 31 isoutside ofth'eg'r'oo've 8,the;grooveis=closed by the elastomericpackingmeans' 36 to-prevent entrance or egress 'of any material throughthe top openportion of the groove&

Because'journal boxes are 'c'ast' and'notmachined, thereis alwayslikelihood ofrather substahtial diiference indimen'sions of the diameterof: the aperture in. the journal box end walliiand especially in theaperture which encircles the journal. and therefore a substantial;change in. diameter of the fiange p'ortion: engaged by' the. spring.

ring 28' may be necessary. This is providediby arranging the spring ringwith. aplurality ofi convolutionsi37 and. cutting away theelastomericportion as indicated between the lines 38 so that theelastomeric. ringmay expand or contract under the infiuenceof:the-spring'ringlss to fit snugly the hole in the endlwallo'f the;journalbox, no matter what its dimensions maybe.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, 39. indicates a plurality of ribs backingup the radial portion 30 of the ring. These. ribs give the packing.ringlateral. stability and-insure that as'the axle moves longitudinallyback and forth, as it well may, in the journal box, themovement of theaxle'contacting elements 32"and 33 will be so limited as to obviate thedanger that the part 32might' be wedged betweenthe plate 35 and theaxle.-

It will be noted with reference to Figures 4 and 6, as well as Figures 2and-3, the clearance betweenthe two vertical arms of the plates 18 and35 and the axle itself is limited, being in the order of perhaps anveighth of an inch. This limits movement of the axle in a horizontalplane along lines. perpendicular to its axis of rotation. This is forthe express purpose of preventing suchmovement of the axle as mightcause disengagement of the brass with the axle and the wedge between thebrass and the top of the journal box. Such-disengagement occasionallytakes place when, especially in switching or humping, the car istoo-suddenly stopped or the wheels are too suddenly braked. Under thesecircumstances, if there is too much play between the axle and the box,the journal may run out from under the brass or may move the brasslaterally with respect to the wedge enough to cause disengagement.Clearance sufficient to permit this is essential to compensate fordifierent sizes of axle and journal boxes, but it is easy enough toprovide these filler plates- It or 35 to compensate for dilferent axlediameter journal box aperture relationship.

I use the term elas'tomeric as a general term covering natural rubber,synthetic rubber or other compounds or materials which have in. generalthe same physical characteristics as natural rubber.

I have illustrated the filler plate in one case as straddling the axleand beingopen at the bottom, in the other case as apertured to encirclethe axle about its entire periphery. Each one may be used. Each hasadvantages. The straddling filler plate can be lost, the one whichencircles theaxl'e must b'e-insertedbefore the axle is inserted in thebox but cannot be lost. They have this in common that the clearancesbetween them and-the axlea'reles'sthan the clearances between the axleand any part of the hox so they fl1'rnish-being of metal positiveabutments' to prevent the danger of pinching of' the packing gasket orrim between the axle andthe journal box in the event ofimproperaccidental displace ment of thejournal with respect to the boxand the axle.

I claim:

In combination; with. a railroadear axle journal box, closed at its'inboard en'd hyftwo parallel, centrally apertured, spaced walls, todefine a. generally rectangular pocket encircling the apertures, acentrally apertured gasket overlapping and supported on one side of saidwalls, the gasket aperturebe'ing ofiless'er diameter than:

the wall apertures, the" gaskettprojeotin'g inwardly from the wallsupporting it'towardlbut short of-"the oppositewall, a removable.apertured' rigid metallic filler plate within the pocket co-extensivetherewith,zparallel to' the gasket and interposed between the gasketand;the other wall, the width of the fillenpla'te aperture beingless thanthe diameter of the wall apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFitzsimmons Aug. 14, 1956"

